The hearing into the killing of Multimedia University student Sylvia Kemunto opened on Monday with harrowing testimony that prosecutors say directly ties the accused to her death.
At the Kibera Law Courts, eight witnesses testified as the State began laying out its case against Eric Philip Mutinda, who has denied murdering the student. Investigators allege the killing occurred in 2025 after Kemunto rebuffed Mutinda’s advances.
The day’s proceedings were emotionally charged, beginning with evidence from Kemunto’s mother. She struggled to hold back tears as she described her daughter’s sudden disappearance, forcing the court to briefly adjourn as she composed herself.
A key moment came when a fellow student also a close associate of the accused testified under witness protection. The witness told the court that on April 3, Mutinda allegedly phoned him and confessed to the killing. According to the testimony, Mutinda said he strangled Kemunto, concealed her body in a suitcase and secretly moved it through a rear entrance of a university block monitored by CCTV cameras.
“I could not believe what I was hearing,” the witness told the court, adding that the accused did not explain whether anyone else had assisted him.
The witness further stated that during the call, Mutinda claimed he was in Sultan Hamud and mentioned plans to travel to Tanzania using his father’s vehicle.
Prosecutors say the testimonies form a crucial link between the accused and the crime as the trial continues.
